One or more axes of a manually-operated machine tool may be retrofitted with a linear encoder. The linear encoder generates position dependent output signals so that the machine tools can be operated as numerically controlled machines.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,348, U.S. patent application publication No. 2005/0028394, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/233,591, filed on Sept. 22, 2005, entitled “Device and Method for Mounting a Position Measuring Device onto a Machine Tool, and Position Measuring System,” Publication No. 2007/0063114, which are expressly incorporated herein in their entireties by reference thereto, describe devices and methods that may minimize the number of steps required to mount a linear encoder to a machine tool.
Certain linear encoders, e.g., SPHEROSYN and MICROSYN linear encoders, which are believed to be available from Newall Measurement Systems Ltd., may be supported using a support bracket. This support bracket is designed to support the scale of the linear encoder by passing the scale through a bore in the support bracket.
While these devices may reduce the number of steps required to attach an encoder to a machine tool, a need is believed to exist to further facilitate the mounting process of an encoder or spar to a machine tool and also to allow for multi-axis adjustment of the encoder position after it is already attached to the machine tool.